Hemp-brake.



l. W. CRAIN.

HEMP BRAKE.

APPLICATION FILED v1.20. 1916'.

Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

Patented Jan. 23, 1917 6 l C. W a m m I 2 m mu W A AM M RR n C m PM w WEN a m M m w m m M; P ,I A m JOHN WILLIAM GRAIN, OF WINCHESTER,KENTUCKY.

HEMP-BRAKE.

Specification bf Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

I Application filed March 20, 1916. Serial No. 85,452.

To all whom it mayconcem:

Be it known that I, J OHN WILLIAM GRAIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Winchester, in the county of Clark and State of Kentucky,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hemp- Brakes; and Ido declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My present invention relates to improvements in hemp brakes in which acarriage supporting one or more movable knives is mounted in"conjunction with stationary knives'on a frame to be shifted back andforth to move the'shiftable knives into and out of engagement with thefixed knives.

Broadly stated, the practical embodiment of the present invention, whichI have operated successfullyfor some time, consists in a double seriesof spaced inverted 'U-shaped knives fixedly mounted on a Wheeled framefor speedy and convenient transportation of the brake, and havinginclined upper portions cooperatingwith similarlyinclined portlons on aseries of intermediate movable knives supported on a reciprocatingcarriage to be moved back and forth through automatic mechanism, tobring such intermediate shiftable knivesalternately between thestationary knives of each of the double series and to thereby operateupon the hemp stalks which are thrown in bunches between the knives,they being guidedby the inclined portions down between the same. I amaware that machines of a similar character have been proposed, but, asfar as I know,

, their operation has not been attended with success. a

It is accordingly the primary object of the present invention to providea machine of the general character stated, the constructional parts ofwhich will be simple and capable of ready assembly on the machine; andsuch as, when assembled, will provide an inexpensive hemp brake whichhas been found in practice to separate the herds or stalks from thefiber or lint of the hemp in a single operation without the necessityfor intermediate processes as now done.

illustrated in Fig. 1.

-tions inclined, as indicated section, of a hemp brake constructed inaccordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentarytransverse sectional view taken on the line 22 in Fig. 1 and Fi 3. Fig.3 is a fragmentary top plan view 0 the improved hemp brake. Fig. 4 is anenlarged plan view of the carriage. Fig. 5 is an end elevational view ofthe same. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 66 inFig. Land looking in the direction of the arrows; and Fig. 7 is a diarammatic view illustrating the'hemp sta ks as operated upon.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 and 2 designate a pair oflongitudinal channel beams connected together by angle bars 3 and 4 toconstitute a frame, which is mounted for movement upon wheels 5 and 6,shown at one end only of the machine.

Supported between the angle bars 3 and 4 and attached at theirends'thereto by angle irons, or other means, 7 and 8, are a series ofstringers 9 upon which and upon the longitudinal channel beams 1 and 2are mounted a double series of stationary knives 10 and 11 spaced apart,and each being preferably of the U'shaped construction more particularlyThe lower free ends of these stationary knives 10 and 11 are secured byrivets, or other means, 12 to the stringers 9 or longitudinal beams 1and 2, as the case may be, and have their upper bowed porat 13 and 14,for constituting flaring .jaws for guiding and receiving the hemp stalksor other material to be operated upon. Such inclined portions 13 and 14of the stationary knives 10 and 11 cooperate with similarly inclinedportions 15 and 16 on the bowedupper ends of movable knives 17, alsopreferably of the U-shape construction shown in Fig. 1, and secured asby rivets, or other means, 18 and 19, each to upstanding perforated lugs20 and 21 mounted in pairs on the heads 22 and 23 of a carriage.

This carriage is constituted of the heads'22 and 23, which arepreferably cast ings formed each with lower eyes 24 and 25, into whichare received a pair of connecting rods 26 and 27. (For the constructionof the carriage see more particularly Figs. 4, 5 and 6).

Each head 22 and 23 is also formed with an upper pair of eyes orbearings 28 and 29 for slidable mounting on a pair of tracks 30 and 31supported in hangers 32 and 33 mounted on the longitudinal channel beams1 and 2 of the framework. The head 22 is provided with a pair ofperforated cars 34 and 35 between which is secured a connecting rod 36operated from a crank shaft 37 to reciprocate the carriage on the tracks30 and 31. This crank shaft 37 may be driven in any suitable manner, as,for instance, by the pulley 38 and belt 39 arrangement illustrated inFigs. 1 and 3.

In the operation of the improved hemp brake, supposing the parts to bein the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the operator will throw the hempstalks in quantities on the machine between the series of fixed knives10 and movable knives 17, where they will be received on the inclinedupper portions 13 and 15 of such knives and guided thereby downwardlybetween the same, the lowermost stalks resting upon the longitudinalchannel beams 1 and 2 and the stringers 9. The rotating crank shaft 37will subsequently draw upon the connecting rod 36 to shift the carriagefrom the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 to the position indicateddiagrammatically in Fig. 7, where the movable knives 17 have beenbrought into cooperation with the stationary knives 10, between whichthe stalks have been described as just placed. The movable knives 17 onthe carriage being offset with respect to the stationary knives, will bereceived therebetween substantially in that manner indicated to bestadvantagein Fig. 7, and encountering the hem stalks in moving to thisposition, will e ect a breaking thereof at a number of points along thestalks and substantially in the zigzag manner apparent. When. in thisposition another charge of the hemp stalks or other material is introduced between the movable knives 17 and the second set of stationaryknives 11, being guided therebetween by the flaring mouths 14 and 16;and when the carriage, through the connecting rod 36 and crank shaft 37is returned to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, such lattermentioned stalks will be encountered and operated upon in similar mannerto break the same at a variety. of points in zigzag fashion. Thisoperation is continued, the carriage supporting the movable knives 17shifting back and forth to bring such movable kn'ives alternately intooperatlve engagement with the stationary series of knives 10 and 11, andthe hemp or other material to be worked being alternately placed in theopen spaces between the knives. When operated upon the hemp is withdrawnby the operator, and it has been found in practice that by the use ofthe above described machine the stalks and fiber are separated withoutthe necessity for subsequent processes.

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details ofconstruction and arrangements of parts without departing from the spiritof my invention, and therefore I do not wish to be limited to suchfeatures except as may be required by the claims.

I claim:

1. In an improved hemp brake, the combination of a framework, a doubleseries of laterally spaced stationary knives formed 7 each of a singlestrip of metal .bent U- shape and inverted, the free ends of said stripsbeing secured to said framework, the upper doubled portions of saidknives being flattened and inclined, and a series of laterally spacedmovable knives offset with respect to said stationary knives and adaptedto be received therebetween, said movable knives also consisting each ofa flat strip of metal bent U-shape and inverted and having inclined andflattened upper ends to cooperate with the inclined upper ends of thestationary knives to guide the hemp stalks down to the space betweensaid knives, substantially as described.

2. In an improved hemp brake of the character described, the combinationof a wheeled frame including longitudinal and transverse beams,stringers connected between said transverse beams, tracks supported fromsaid longitudinal beams, a double series. of inverted U-shaped kniveshaving inclined portions secured to said longitudinal. beams andstringers, a carriage mounted to reciprocate on said tracks between adouble series of said stationary knives, inverted U-shaped movablelmives mounted on said carriage and cooperating with said first-namedknives and having inclined portions, and means for reciprocating saidcarriage, substantially as described.

3. In an improved hemp brake, the combination of a framework composed ofIongitudinal beams, transverse beams securing said bars, rods connectingsaid heads, perforated ears on said heads, movable knives ends of saidstationary knives, and means consisting of strips of metal bent U-shapefor reciprocating said carriage, substanand inverted and having theirfree ends setially as described.

cured to the perforated lugs on said heads, In testimony whereof, Iaifix my signa- 10 5 the upper ends of said knives being inture.

c1ined to co6perate with the inclined upper JOHN WILLIAM GRAIN.

copies of thin patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Gomnlnioner of Intent, Washington, D. G.

